Journey
by Lana Atkins
Summary: Life's got everything - laughter, anger, tears. And sometimes, if you're lucky - something more. A collection of oneshots, drabbles and little moments. RanmaxAkane
1. Beginning

---

The path to true love can often be  
Long, winding and somewhat rocky.

The journey can be easy at times,  
But difficult at others.

The journey can be short for some,  
But long for others.

The journey will never be the same for each other,  
Because every one of us is different.

None of us will ever know what this path is like  
Until we have to travel it ourselves.

- Sharon L Norris

---

---

A battle was taking place.

Well, maybe 'battle' wasn't the right word. 'Massacre' was more like it.

"Ranma! Get in this school! Now!"

He stared, incredulous, up at the girl shouting at him from the school balcony, and pointed a finger uncertainly to the scene before him.

"But -"

"Don't worry about Akane!"

Ranma remained perched on the school wall, a feeling akin to concern keeping him there. He observed the raven-haired girl. She did look like she was handling herself pretty well, averaging about fifteen guys a minute. She was probably going to be even madder than before after this, though. Even with her pace, there was no way she was going to make class on time.

Not that _he_ cared. _He _was new here. And she hated his guts, anyway. Didn't she say she hated boys?

He suddenly found himself swaying slightly. A guy had slammed face first into the brick wall under him, and was now sliding slowly into a crumpled heap on the ground.

The pig-tailed boy regarded the unconscious idiot. For all his righteous male indignation, he was starting to understand a little how she might hate guys the way she did. It wasn't like she had very much to go with in the first place.

He'd never seen anything like this before, and he'd been practically everywhere. He doubted it was a Neriman tradition to gang up on and beat girls before the school bell. Also, the fact that no one came to her aid, or even seemed _worried_ about it for that matter, bothered him. Why?

He focused again on the object of his contemplations.

Her form was unrefined and her movements lacked flow; he'd already picked up on those when they'd sparred in the dojo. She was also nowhere close to his level of speed.

She did, however, move with a kind of surety, a quiet confidence, as she wove through the army of high school boys around her, and that was fascinating to watch.

She also possessed a strength that astounded him in a girl so small in stature. She was fighting football players, kendoists, wrestlers – most of them easily twice her size – and taking them out in seconds flat. They were absolutely no match for her.

He was impressed. And Ranma Saotome wasn't impressed easily.

She suddenly let out a shout of frustration, and he strained to catch a glimpse of her. He only caught a flash of blue and yellow. The crowd was tight and closing in around her, giving her very little fighting space and blocking the girl almost completely from view.

He tensed, calculated; fully intending to take the lot of them out if things went too far. Hate him or not, he wasn't about to let a group of men, if that was what they really thought themselves, beat up a girl, un-defenseless as she was. He never hit girls, as a strict rule, and to see this happening was starting to really tick him off.

Then, to his surprise, she delivered a staggering roundhouse kick that sent the crowd around her flying back from her in several directions. She landed on the gravel lightly, still poised in a fighting stance, then noticed there was no longer anyone around her still standing.

He watched her relax. Then she turned around until her face was in his line of sight. She flipped her blue-black ponytail over her shoulder.

At that moment, he was struck by something within him that he couldn't comprehend. It wasn't because she was pretty (although she was pretty, he guessed, in a tomboy sort of way) or anything like that . But, for the first time, it held him in a vise he couldn't break.

It was her eyes. There was a look in them that told him things about her - that she was proud, that she was strong, that she was passionate. That she was stubborn, and persistent. Unwilling to admit defeat. That she had spirit. And a fire burned within her that he found familiar in only one other person..

This girl was different.

And she intrigued him more than anyone he'd ever met.

Slowly, he broke into a smile.

---

And so a journey begins.

---

---

After a long absence, I return! (:

I thought it was about time I wrote something. Well, completed something anyway. I had loads of these little ideas, and I kept beginning new stories, but I never got around to finishing most of them, which was quite sad. So I sat myself down today, and made myself finish this thing. For all the people who think me worthy enough to have on author alert.

Anyway, about the story. Not completely satisfied with this one, and will prolly keep updating it. The 'intrigued' line is also borrowed from my other story 'One Night', if you haven't already guessed. ^^ I've always found this particular scene good, anime-wise, because you get to see Akane being all kickass, and that hardly happens for the rest of the series -_- she doesn't get much love for her skill, and she does have it!

This will be the first in a series I've decided to name Journey. The idea's not original, and it's been done better by other people* but I have a reason. Since I had, and started writing, many of the afore-mentioned little oneshot ideas, I decided to throw the lot together and make it one chaptered story (: of course, I hope I get to finish this, or at least produce a reasonable amount of chapters that ensure that people don't send me "UPDATE PLZ!!!11" messages.

I will try and be as consistent as I can to the arrangement of the general storyline, but I can't guarantee much. My inspirations are untimely mistresses. The story lengths will also vary, because I don't plan them.

In the meantime, I hope you guys bear with me and enjoy the stuff I have coming! I'd appreciate some constructive criticism too, if you have any. Ego-boosting too, of course, is always welcome (:

Thanks for reading! x

* read Sousouchan's 'Step by Step'! it's amazing stuff.

I noticed there were a few similarities between her story and mine, purely unintentional!! please forgive.


	2. Acknowledgement

JOURNEY: 2

Acknowledgment

---

Akane was flying.

She was petrified.

And at the back of her mind, the part not already numbed by terror, there came an incredulous thought, fortified by fury.

_I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT STUPID IDIOT JUST __**THREW**__ ME!_

The raven-haired girl grappled at nothingness as she sailed through the cold air, the blinding bulbs from the watching crowd around the ice-skating arena going off in her face and preventing her from seeing anything. But, Akane figured, that was probably for the best.

She knew, instinctively, that he had some kind of a plan. Ranma always had some kind of plan up his sleeve. And, careless as he was, he probably wouldn't have rendered her airborne if he wasn't absolutely sure he'd secure her a safe landing.

It didn't make it any less terrifying, though. She screamed as she saw the hard ice approaching.

Then suddenly, as she'd half expected, she landed on something hard, muscular, and moving. She clasped on to Ranma for dear life as he sped across the ice.

Hmm. He was staying upright, that was interesting. And he was managing to do it quite well, he was no skater and they were even going pretty fa –the fence.

The fence. The fence. He wasn't stopping. Why wasn't he stopping?

"..THE FENCE!" she hollered, digging her nails into his back.

" I KNOW!!" he yelled back.

_Oh, he knows._

"_**STOP!!!!**_" she screeched.

"_**I CAN'T!"**_

And the fence arrived. As they zoomed over it, Akane felt her insides squeeze, her pulse quicken, and her anger spike.

_If I die here, I'm going to kill him._

---

They survived.

Akane slid off Ranma's back, landing somewhat unsteadily on the ice, and tried to get the air she'd gotten thrown out of her back in her lungs. When she could stand up straight without tipping over, she turn around and was about to attempt to sock him one, when she caught sight of Mikado. He was kneeling on the ice, hunched over, and shaking slightly; Azusa next to him, cooing incomprehensibly. Judging by the horrified gasps and stunned expressions from the Golden Pair's supporters around the rink, Akane knew that Mikado getting hurt was not something that happened. Ever.

She turned to look at Ranma.

"What did you do to him?"

He didn't answer. He didn't even appear to have heard her. His sapphire eyes were locked on the older boy's back, and his face.. there was an expression on his face that Akane hadn't seen before; a mixture of satisfaction, and cold, yet carefully controlled, rage.

Akane wondered at this. It could have been because of the pain Azusa'd caused him – but no, he was looking at Mikado, and he was more than just plain angry. She supposed it could have been because of that kiss – but Ranma was calm when they'd come this morning to the rink; he'd more or less settled that score with Mikado in their last battle.

So why was he so furious?

"Come on, Akane."

He beckoned her with a glance, and moved forward. Perceiving the firm tone in his voice, she decided that telling him off now was not the best of ideas, and remained quiet. She followed him as he made his way carefully to the center of the ice, slipping a little.

Mikado was in the midst of standing up. When he did, he brushed down his white suit, and turned fully to meet his opponent.

"You're brave," he said with a small smirk, "injuring me like this."

"Trust me," Ranma growled. "Bother Akane again, and this pain'll be nothing compared to what I'll do to you."

Akane stared at him in surprise. That she had not expected.

Unfazed, the skater's smirk grew bigger, and he slid his hands behind his back jauntily. "Oh really?"

Ranma's eyes flashed, and his hands tightened into fists. "Listen, and listen good, Sanzenin!

"AKANE IS **MY** FIANCEE!"

He struck a hand in front of her. "YOU TOUCH HER AND I'LL _**KILL**_ YOU!"

The whole stadium went still for a moment. Then the whispers, cries and wolf-whistles came.

Akane heard nothing but the heartbeat drumming in her ears.

_Ranma.._

_He said that –_

_in front of all these people?_

She felt the strangest thing stir in her belly. It might have been a flutter. She wasn't sure.

By right, she knew she should still be infuriated at him for almost getting them both killed. But it was difficult to keep being angry, given the circumstances. Even for her.

She felt the maybe-flutter again, and realized something.

All her life, Akane'd had people fight her. The neighborhood boys, her father's students, the guys at school.. all of them for different reasons and motives. Some were jealous of her skill in the Art. Some were resentful that a girl could ever be better than them in anything. And some were just plain selfish.

Yes, she'd had people fight her before.

But, for the life of her, she couldn't recall the last time.. anyone had ever fought _for _her.

She looked at him, standing tall and strong despite his awkwardness on the ice. His blue eyes were unwavering, firm, and despite the audible opinions that were being voiced in the mass around them, his arm hadn't dropped an inch.

And for the first time, Akane thought that having Ranma as a fiancé - may not have been quite so bad.

**---**

**---  
**

At last, I show some semblance of consistency! (:

Didn't mean to make it quite as long as it was. The first part might seem a little irrelevant.. I like to think it isn't. If you prefer, though, you can read the second part as it is, for that is when the WAFF kicks in. (:

Okay, some stuff.

I sort of thought of this as the first time Akane inwardly acknowledges Ranma as her fiancé. As Ranma outwardly acknowledges that she's his.

As for some of the manga dialogue. I didn't get it strictly from the translated Viz manga, so it's not exactly the same (: I found that although the Viz version is more compatible with English readers, it sometimes doesn't follow the original lines or give the same feel as the original Japanese version, something I find a little more accurate in my Malay-translated manga. So, in some parts, I translated from Malay what the characters were saying, which is why readers of the Viz manga might find it different.

Still with me?

Yes. I know the hand thing's obviously not from the manga. It's from the anime. I always found that cute so I put it in here too. (: A little mix-and-match, if you will.

This can be considered a sort of prequel to 'Afterthoughts', another fanfic of mine.

Hope you enjoyed! As always, constructive criticism or ego-boosting – both welcome. Thanks for reading!

(I've really got to stop writing such long author's notes.)


	3. Food

For tomboy26, who sent me such a sweet message and to whom I promised I'd write this chapter soon. Sorry it took so long!

And thanks to everyone who gave me such lovely and constructive reviews! You are who I continue to write for.

---

JOURNEY: 3

Food

---

He suddenly wasn't aware of the distance between himself and the ground. He didn't feel the thinness of the branch he was balanced on almost carelessly. And he didn't notice the small strips of bark gathering under his fingernails as his hands unconsciously clenched against the trunk of the tree.

Akane was cooking again. The mere _smell _of whatever was in her little cauldron was sending the creatures around her into dead faints. He could even see a few small flowers near her start to droop and wither as the strange _yellow _fumes enveloped them. And it was one of the freakin' scariest things he'd ever seen.

But that, bizarrely, wasn't what was bothering him.

It was who sat across from her. Who she was obviously cooking for. Who didn't even seem bothered by the signs of warning happening around them. Who was probably too enraptured by her to care.

_What's Ryoga doing here?_ he thought, a hint of a frown beginning to show on his face. His fingernails bit deeper into the tree.

He knew it was a stupid question. After all, he knew the old crone was training the guy in the same forest as his father was training him. And, as his father had brought Akane along to cook for them (the stupid old fart) she was bound to run into Ryoga sooner or later. Or rather, he was bound to stumble upon her while trying to find the way back to his campsite.

Ranma still didn't like what he was seeing.

Why was Akane cooking for him anyway? Didn't she know they were supposed to be fighting each other? Stupid girl.

He shook his head quickly, suddenly filled with irritated indignation. Like he cared who she cooked for. If anything, it helped _him_ if Ryoga downed her noxious concoctions. Maybe, having given Ryoga food poisoning _at least_, it'd save him the trouble of having to go through with the battle.

Not that he needed any help, mind you. It was still a sure win, old bat or no. He was stronger and faster than ever; the extra training probably wasn't even necessary. And Ryoga'd been slipping lately.

Ryoga.

Look at him, sitting there twiddling his stupid fingers.

_I hope it kills him_, he thought with wicked glee. _That'll teach the little pig to suck up._

The fumes were slowing. Akane had finished, and was now spooning some weird gloopy brown mush he guessed was supposed to be curry onto a bowl of rice. Despite himself, Ranma felt the tiniest twinge of pity for the lost boy.

He'd never know what hit him.

Ranma swung to the tree next to Akane, noiselessly, for a better view.

Beneath him, she was handing the bowl to Ryoga, giving him a smile that made somehow Ranma's insides leap a little (probably just indigestion, he figured) and saying something apologetic.

The lost boy in turn took the bowl from her, as if it were all a dream. He obviously couldn't believe his good luck.

Ranma would have chuckled, but that would have been too cruel. Even if Ryoga was a pig.

He almost held his breath as he watched said pig shove a spoonful into his mouth, a look on his face that could only be described as utter bliss, and couldn't help but clutch at his own stomach protectively.

_Yeah. It's tears of joy __**now**__._

A second passed, and Ryoga's head lowered as he folded over his knees.

"Um," Akane spoke, and her voice was different. "Is the food okay?"

Was that _hope_?

He heard the sound of bending metal, and turned to his rival, who had all but turned blue in the face, his spoon crumpled in his hand. Then he looked up, and with the happiest expression he could muster through the pain he was no doubt experiencing, said, "I-I've never .. tasted anything.. so E-EXQUISITE in my L-L-LIFE!"

Ranma nearly fell off his tree.

_**..WHAT?!**_

At this proclamation, Akane's face lit up in happiness and relief, and saying something about mayonnaise and sugar, she smiled at him the way Ranma'd only seen a few times before. Smiled at _Ryoga_.

It was more than he could stomach, so to speak.

And something snapped.

It must have. Because the next thing he knew, he was holding a bowl of rice with her poisonous sludge oozing on top, and scooping out a spoonful. The strange waft coming from the food assaulted his nose, making his eyes water, and his inner him screamed that what he was doing was going to have very dire, very painful consequences.

_WHY?????_ it cried.

He held the spoon up. And with the same loss of control he had with his mouth sometimes, his hand moved automatically, and shoved the spoon in. At the same time, her smile flashed across his mind's eyes.

Then he knew no more.

---

---

I'm aware of how mean I've made Ranma in this one -_- and I feel almost guilty. He's a sweetheart really.

But I guess jealousy can do really ugly things to you. (: there's a reason they call it the green-eyed MONSTER, you know.

I love the way Ranma (and Akane for that matter) can switch so quickly from being intensely jealous, to utterly denying and defensive, to intensely jealous again. One of the things that endears me to this couple.

This one took a bit of time cause I couldn't find the right ending. (: but I hope you guys like it anyway! :D Tell me what you think about it, it always makes my day to hear feedback. Thankies.


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